Standing Firm Until He Comes

Full text of sermon. (Detailed notes original to authour - Script filled out by Chat GPT)

Sermon: Standing Firm Until He Comes

(Based on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17)

a. The Fear and Confusion About Christ's Return

The church in Thessalonica was confused and fearful. They had been told that "the Day of the Lord" had already come - that Christ had either already returned or was about to come at any moment. Rumours were circulating, false letters were being passed around, and people were unsettled.

 

It might sound strange to us, but we can understand how easy it is to get caught up in panic when people start predicting the end of the world. Let me tell you a story from much closer to home.

 

Back in 1999, one of the churches around the Boyne Island-Tannum Sands area became very concerned about the so-called "Y2K bug." They were convinced that when the clock struck midnight and the new millennium began, every computer would crash, planes would fall from the sky, and power systems would fail. Believing that chaos was coming, they began preparing for survival - storing food, water, and other supplies. Some even bought barrels of grain and hand grinders so they could make flour without electricity. They were absolutely convinced that the end was near and they needed to prepare.

 

We might smile at that now, but the truth is that fear and confusion about Christ's return have always been part of the Christian story. Throughout history, people have looked at world events and said, "Surely this must be the end." Think of September 11, the Bali Bombing, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even today, people look at Donald Trump's political rise, the wars in Israel, or the effects of climate change and wonder whether these are signs of the end.

 

It is a core belief of all Christians that Jesus will return when time itself comes to an end. But the question that worried the Thessalonians - and still worries some today - is: When? and How will we know?

 

Bruce Johnstone once told the story of a man who was so worried about Christ's return that he rang all the ministers in Gladstone telling them that Christ would return soon and they must all prepare. Bruce’s response was to say that he hoped the members of his congregation always lived their lives as if Christ was about to return. It turned out the man had a brain tumor. There is nothing wrong with being expectant to use a phrase I’ve often heard we should “live as though Jesus is retuning tomorrow but plan as if he is returning in 300 years”.

To put it another way, we should live ready for Christ's coming - but Paul's message to the Thessalonians reminds us that we are not to live in fear or confusion.

 

b. Paul's First Response: Christ's Coming Will Be Obvious

Paul's first response to the fear and confusion is to remind the church that when Jesus comes again, it will be absolutely obvious. There will be no mistaking it. No one will have to whisper rumours or send secret messages claiming that He has already come.

 

Paul says in verse 8 that when Jesus returns, "the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming."

 

Now, I'll be honest - I'm not sure exactly what to make of this "wicked one" or "lawless one." Many have speculated that it refers to a powerful, godless leader - someone who sets themselves up against God and deceives the world. But the key point is not the identity of this figure - the key point is God's complete victory.

 

When Jesus comes again, all opposition will be swept away as easily as blowing out a birthday candle. Nothing can stand against the power of Christ's return.

 

So Paul's first word to the Thessalonians is this: don't be frightened by rumours or false prophecies. When Jesus comes again, you won't miss it. His coming will be as obvious as lightning flashing across the sky.

 

c. Paul's Second Response: Remember What Your Faith Rests On

Paul's second response is pastoral - he reminds the church what their faith truly rests upon. He tells them to hold fast to that foundation and not be shaken by the latest story or teaching they have heard.

 

He reminds them of who they are in Christ. The Thessalonians are:

i. Chosen - selected by God before the foundation of the world, loved and called His own.

ii. First fruits - the beginning of God's great harvest of salvation, a sign that His saving work is already underway.

iii. Saved by the Spirit's power - made holy through the imparted righteousness of Jesus, through faith and trust in Him.

 

Their faith, Paul reminds them, didn't come from nowhere. It came through God's calling - through the preaching of the Good News by Paul and his fellow workers. It came through hearing about Jesus' death and resurrection, through believing in Him, and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

 

And through this calling, this salvation, and this gift of holiness, Paul says, "you will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

 

In other words, Paul tells them to focus not on what they don't know - the timing of Christ's return - but on what they do know: that they belong to God, they are loved by Him, and they are destined to share in His glory.

 

d. The Call to Stand Firm in the Truth

In the light of all this teaching - in light of the truth of God's love and the certainty of Christ's victory - Paul gives a simple command: "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."

 

To "stand firm" means to remain grounded in the gospel, not tossed about by every new idea, fear, or conspiracy. It means trusting what Christ has already done rather than worrying about what the world says might happen.

 

While we wait for Christ's return, our calling is not to live in fear, or to stockpile supplies, or to withdraw from society in panic. Our calling is to be strengthened in faith and to live in hope.

 

Paul says in verse 17 that God's purpose is to "encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." That is what it means to stand firm - to keep doing good, to keep speaking truth, and to keep living as people of faith until He comes.

 

e. The Result: Hope, Strength, and Service

If we truly understand and hold fast to the promises of God that Paul outlines - that we are chosen, that we are the first fruits, that we are made holy by the Spirit through faith in Jesus - then the result will not be fear or wild speculation about when Jesus will return or who the Antichrist might be.

 

Instead, the result will be:

i. Eternal comfort - a deep assurance that whatever happens in this world, our future is secure in Christ.

ii. Good hope - a living, confident expectation that God's promises will be fulfilled.

iii. Strength - strength that reaches to the very core of who we are, empowering us to live faithfully and to serve others.

 

When we hold fast to the truth, our lives become marked not by panic but by purpose. We become people of peace and stability in a world that often feels out of control.

 

And this strength doesn't end with ourselves - it overflows into action. We are encouraged in every good deed and word. That means serving our neighbours, speaking words of life, sharing the Gospel, and showing God's love in all we do.

 

So while others may be anxious about what the future holds, we can stand firm in faith. We can live in hope. We can serve with joy. Because we know that Christ will return in His time, and when He does, His victory will be complete.

 

Until that day comes, we are called to stand firm - not shaken, not fearful, but faithful and strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Amen.